Hello all,

This morning, the 219th General Assembly will conclude.  And I am very aware that I have not kept up with the blogging — it turns out that there is a lot of work to do at General Assembly!  And a lot of being together with this large, boisterous, loving, faithful Presbyterian family.

Much has happened here – and you have likely been aware of some of it.  I will try to share some musings soon, but today, I need to pack up, check out, and wrap up.  We have one more plenary, and a closing worship service.  It has been an honor to serve God in this way, and especially to serve alongside Mariana Berbert and Mary Ellen Keller.

Thank you for sending us to General Assembly.

Hello all,

The committee work began Sunday afternoon (the 4th, although my committee had met Friday to get started) and really gathered steam today.  I only caught a glimpse of Mary Ellen Keller Monday twice, and one of Mariana Berbert Sunday.  I’ve caught up with Michael Lukens occasionally (and needed to get polity clarification from him); I’ve also seen Lucy Rupe .  So today you will get my notes only – no impressions from everyone else.

As I’ve mentioned, my committee is the Form of Government revision committee – this is the committee that is taking the work of the Form of Government Task Force, as well as overtures from presbyteries in support of the revised Form of Government and presbyteries who oppose the revisions.  We are charged with deciding what to do with the work of the Task Force, who was charged by prior GA’s with developing a new form of government (the first part of the Book of Order) that would provide more flexibility to fit a variety of circumstances, with the hope that the result would resemble a constitution more than a manual of operations.  Many of us have worked with the Book of Order for a long time, are familiar and comfortable with it.  But the goals are admirable, and seem good for the church – mandating  functions rather than structures, so that presbyteries and sessions can find way to do what is required in ways that work for their circumstances: standards are not eliminated!

Naturally, any time a change of this scope is proposed, there is a lot of anxiety and resistance.  One idea behind the new Form of Government is to begin to rebuild trust in our denomination by substituting relationships for regulations.  The visions is to have that people engage with one another and with God as we discern how to best accomplish a given goal in our circumstances – rather than merely providing long lists of requirements!

And here is the exciting part — it is happening even as we work together on this committee!  Already, we have people of all sorts of backgrounds and  experiences, working together just as the Form of Government Task Force envisioned that people would.  We are working hard, and getting to know one another.  Many many amendments to the proposed FOG have been voted on, and it is exciting that factions haven’t formed on the committee.  Each vote is different, as we all seek to serve Jesus Christ faithfully, rather than hew to some line of some group.  God is present everywhere, of course, and in Minneapolis, at General Assembly, we are not only aware of God’s presence, but depending on the work of the Spirit!

Today all the committees will finish their work.  Tonight the Rev. Dr. Michael Lukens will be honored with the formal presentation of the Fred Jenkins award he was given in 2009.  Tomorrow the full assembly begins to meet in plenary sessions again (which you can follow on the internet – go to the new, redesigned pcusa.org website to learn how).

Please continue to pray for us all.

Peace, Rev. Susan Zencka

Hello from the 219^th General Assembly!

Mariana Berbert and I arrived in Minneapolis on Thursday evening, because we both had assigned meetings on Friday.  Elder Commissioner Mary Ellen Keller arrived, fresh from a mission trip, today – just before the Opening Session convened!  Stated Clerk Michael Lukens came to greet us just before the meeting.  It is a huge hall, and we are assigned wonderful seats, in the center section, 10 rows back.

Already, we have been each drawn into the experience of the General Assembly – my committee (Form of Government Revision) had 8 hours of meeting yesterday, Mariana had a full day of training, and Mary Ellen is quickly catching up with the flood of paper that we were each presented with upon arrival.

There were “Riverside Conversations” this morning, before the Assembly officially convened.  These were opportunities for commissioners, advisory delegates and observers to hear presentations and participate in conversations around some of the big issues facing the denomination: our confessional standards  (there are overtures around adding a new confession – the Belhar Confession from South Africa – and retranslating the Heidelberg Catechism in our Book of Confessions); marriage and civil unions; Middle East peacemaking issues, the proposed new Form of Government, reports from the Executive Director and Stated Clerk, and equipping the church for ministry with God’s diverse family.

It is a fascinating event, General Assembly – as Presbyterians, we value our connectionalism.  We value the bonds that connect us from church to church, presbytery to presbytery, and especially the bonds that grow among us personally.  Already I’ve run into several volunteers from Winnebago Presbytery: Rev. Ted and Mary Sperduto, Nancy Siewert, Rev. Lois Swanson!  I also finally saw Lucy, and of course,  friends from other times and places.  We are a large Presbyterian family.

Tonight, Saturday night, we heard from the six candidates to be Moderator of the General Assembly.  The candidates included 5 ministers, 1 elder; 3 women, 3 men; 1 African-American, 1 Korean-American; 4 Euro-Americans.   And finally, on the 4th ballot (?) we elected Elder Cindy Bolbach, as the Moderator for GA 219 and for the next two years.  She is an elder who doesn’t work for the church – a real person with a real job!  She also has been the co-moderator of the Form of Government Task Force, the moderator of National Capital Presbytery, the clerk of session of First Presbyterian Church of Arlington, Virginia.   I had communicated with her by email before GA, and had a couple of conversations with her Friday, and found her to be very smart, very perceptive, deeply faithful, and a real visionary with a practical side.

But it’s not all work – tomorrow we will start with worship in the morning , and in the evening, there will be a picnic on Nicollet Island in the Mississippi River, where we will meet the new moderator and watch fireworks!  [Given the forecast, I hope there are contingency plans in case of rain.]  We are doing the work of the Church, worshiping God, and enjoying a large PCUSA family reunion.

Keep us in your prayers.

Grace and peace,

Rev. Susan Zencka

General Assembly begins this Saturday, July 3, but the preparations have been going on for a long time.  It was almost year ago that the Presbytery Nominating Committee began seeking nominations for Young Adult Advisory Delegate (YAAD), Elder Commissioner and Minister Commissioner.    We were elected at the September 2009 meeting: Mariana Berbert (Oshkosh, 1st Presbyterian) as the YAAD, Mary Ellen Keller (Forest Larger Parish) as the Elder Commissioner, and the Rev. Susan Zencka (Stevens Point, Frame Memorial) as the Minister Commissioner.   At the May meeting, we were commissioned for service.

And, at the February Presbytery meeting, the Rev. Paula Sanders came to talk with us about the Committee on Local Arrangements (COLA) for the 219th General Assembly in Minneapolis, and to invite us to volunteer.  I don’t know how many people have chosen to volunteer, but I do know that there are still openings for people to volunteer to help at General Assembly.

Of course, many people are working to prepare for General Assembly – in Louisville and Minneapolis, primarily.  But we, your commissioners, are also preparing.  We have been reading  a lot — there are 124 overtures, most of them with considerable supporting material.  There are two significant longer reports that were mailed to commissioners: the proposed Form of Government, and the Middle East Study Committee report.  The Presbyterian Outlook has held 5 webinars, each on a significant issue before General Assembly, and some of us have listened to these presentations.

The Rev. Michael Lukens and the Rev. Lucy Rupe held an orientation for us in March, helping us to learn how to prepare for serving as commissioners.  We have each received our committee assignment: Mariana Berbert is serving on Committee #6 – Church Orders and Ministry; Susan Zencka is on Committee #7 – Revised Form of Government; Mary Ellen Keller is assigned to Committee #8 – Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations.  These will all be fascinating and intense committees.

And now, we’re packing, and getting our last minute preparations made (like learning how to use this blog!).  Mariana and I will arrive in Minneapolis on July 1, because we both have meetings on July 2; Mary Ellen is on a mission trip and will meet us in Minneapolis on Saturday, July 3 when General Assembly formally begins.  I will try to keep up and write blog entries from time to time, but we will be very busy, and our work at GA comes first!

Finally, a request: pray for us, please.  We take our work seriously — we hope to discern a faithful and Spirit-led response to all the issues before us.  Many of the issues are quite complex.  I know I have been trying to keep an open mind and avoid coming to conclusions so that I can listen fairly and faithfully in the Assembly.  Listening for God’s voice in the voices that disagree with ours as well as those that agree with ours is a peculiar calling of Presbyterians.  I hope and pray that we will be faithful to that calling, and we cherish your prayers.  Thank you.

The Stated Clerk of the General Assembly, Gradye Parsons,  has released his greatest hopes for the 219th General Assembly (2010) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

1. Prayerful decision-making

The spirit in which decisions are made at the assembly will be a prayerful and careful witness of decision-making for the entire church.

2. Deeper awareness of the whole PC(USA)

Commissioners and advisory delegates will gain a deeper awareness of the length and breadth of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), realizing they are part of something much larger than themselves.

3. Issues facing congregations

Commissioners and advisory delegates will discern with the whole church the issues and challenges facing congregations

4. Common calling to a changing church

A clear, common calling will emerge to actively and hopefully engage with the reality of a church in change.

5. Attention beyond ourselves

Attention will move beyond ourselves to a world in great need, committing ourselves to gospel work: making disciples, feeding the hungry, welcoming the outcast, encouraging the fainthearted, working for peace – all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

6. Enthusiastic sharing of the faith

Those who are part of the assembly will be the first in line of Presbyterians to talk about their faith with a contagious enthusiasm.

7. Furthering the mission of Christ

At the end of the assembly, commissioners and advisory delegates will have a deep sense that what they did will further the mission of Christ in the world.

Listen to the General Assembly  Welcome Message from Gradye Parsons.